1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and a method of photography using a digital camera capable of detecting information on a photographed site.
2. Background Arts
Recently, digital camera users, who edit taken images and upload the edited images on homepages, or create digital albums, are increasing along with the widespread use of the digital cameras. It is convenient if information on photographed sites can be recorded in association with the taken images when there are a large number of images which are taken, for instance, during a trip.
In order to meet the above-mentioned request, a camera, which records and displays position coordinates of the photographed site in association with the image data, is suggested (See Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 7-64169, U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,078, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 9-37203, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 11-46346). The above references disclose a camera incorporating GPS (Global Positioning System) function which is utilized for a car navigation device or a cellular phone. Further, a camera disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,078 incorporates a gyroscope, which measures traveled distance and azimuth, to record camera azimuth in addition to the position coordinates of the photographed site.
An information processing system disclosed in USP No. 2001/0055373 transmits the position coordinates acquired by the car navigation device, and the images taken by the digital camera via a radio I/F bi-directionally. The taken image is displayed on a map of the car navigation device in association with the acquired position coordinates. Alternatively, information on the position coordinates acquired by the car navigation device can be recorded in the digital camera in association with the taken image by transmitting the information on position coordinates to the digital camera.
The digital camera can also be used for commercial use such as taking images of structures under construction. Images of a very large structure such as a bridge are often taken from a distance. In that case, it is convenient if a distance between the photographed site and the object can be obtained in addition to the object position and the camera azimuth. However, conventional methods can only detect one of the positions of the object and the photographed site. Therefore, the distance between the photographed site and the object cannot be obtained.